Device for exterminating boll-weevils.



B. R. 111011115113011. DEVICE FOR EXTERMINATING BOLL WEEVILS.

APPLIGATION 'FILED MAY 24.1912.

om im '13. R. RICHARDSON. DEVICE FOR EXTERMINATING BOLL WEEVILS. Y

- l PPLIOATION FILED MAY 24, 1912. y A 1,050,847. Patented .12.11.21, 1913.

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BENJAMIN R. IBJILARDS01@y OIF DEATSVILLE, ALABAMA.

DEVICE I 'FOR EXTERMINATING' BOLL-WEEVILS.

To (,LZZ whom may concern Re it known that l, BENJAMIN R. RICH-4 Anoson, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Deatsville, in the county of Elmore' and State ot labama, have invented new and useful improvements in Devices for lgixterminating BollWVeevils, of which the following is specification. l

' rlthis invent-ion relates to devices forexterminating boll weevils, and it has particular reference to that class of boil weevil `erterminators which `are utilized for gathering the fallen forms and squares which have been punctured by the weevil and wherein eggs have been deposited in order that such forms and squares may sequently destroyed. e. l

y'llhe present intention has, for its object to' produce a gathering device of simple and iniproed construction whereby the forms and squares that have dropped on the ground will be gathered and conveyed into a box er receptacle from which theyy may tlv removed and destroyed.

improve tic construction and .ation of a device of the character de scribed. I

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly `pointed out in the claims. In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made tothe precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims p may be resorted to when desired.

ln the drawings,-l4`igure 1 is a top plan view of a device constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig'. l is a transversey sectional View taken on the line 4.--4 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line tS- in Fig. l1.

Corresponding parts inthe several iigures are denoted by like characters of reference.

A frame which may be of rectangular or ether convenient lshape includes 'side memv Specification of Letters Patenf be subieets et the invention are to bers 1, 1 which are provided with boxesor bearings 2 wherein a shaft or axle 3 is supported for rotation, said axle carrying between the side members 1, 1 a ground engaging transporting wheel 4 which also constitutes vthe power wheel of the device. @ne end of the axle 3 carries a sprocket wheel from which motion is transmitted by a chain or link belt 6 to a sprocket pinion T. on a shaft Swhich is supported for rot-ation by means of arms or kbrackets 9 that are secured adjustably on the sides of a casing lO which is carried by the rear portion of the frame. ,The front end of the casing l() is open, and it has an upwardly and rearwardly inclined bottom member l1 adjacent to the lower end of which is supported a roller l2. A roller 13 which is mounted on the sha-ft 8 coperates with the roller 12 to support an endless carrier which may be composed of an. apron lil of flexible, preferably textile, material, said apron being equipped ats'uitable intervals with t ansversely disposed brush. members 15 which, when the machine is in operation and motion is transmitted from the axle 3 to the shaft 8 so as to drive the endless carrier, will. sweep upwardly over the inclined bottom member l1', thus picking up fallen forms and squares from the ground and conveying the saale upwardly over the bottom member 11 anddischarging such Gathered material over the rear edge of the bottom member 1l into a drawer or receptacle 1G which is slidably supported in the rear part of the casing. The bottom of the drawer 1G is` preferably constructed of screen material, such as wire netting 17, to enable loose dirt to be separated from the forms land squares by sifting therethrough, the lower part of the casing being open so as to permity the loose dirt to drop directly on the ground. It is obvious that the content-s of the drawer, when the latter has been tilled, may be disposed of 1n any convenient manner.

The casing 10i y engaging-roller 18 which is supported 1n the'space between the inclined plane or bot'- vtom member" 11 and the movably supported ldrawer or receptacle v16. The journals 19 adjusting-screw ,QJibeng provided wherep Patented Jan. 21, 1913.-

Application filed May 24, 1912. sei-iai No. 699,527.

s provided with a ground by vertical adjustment of the roller bearings may be effected, thereby enabling the casing to be raised or lowered and supported in the most advantageousl position for effective operation. vThe arms or brackets 9' 'apertures in the cross bar 26and are provided with adjusting'and retaining nuts 29 whereby the standards may be raised and lowered. Hingedly connected with the lower ends of the standards are a pair. of brush members 2S which extend and diverge forwardly adjacent to the two sides of the power wheel. Being hingedly connected with the standards 27 it is obvious that the brushes are capable of swinging up and down, and the threaded shank members which extend through the cross bar 26 will permit the standards 27 to move about the axes thereof, thus permitting the distance between the front ends of the brush members to be varied.

The rear ends of thebrush members project within the front end of the casing 10,

' 'and the forward ends of the brush members diverge widely so as to extend beneath the branches of the rows of plants between which the machine is operated. The brushes will thus serve to collect all the fallen leaves, forms and squares that lie upon the ground and convey the same within the casing to a pointwhere the material will be taken up by the endless carrier and conveyed thereby over the inclined bottom member 11 and into the drawer or receptacle 16. The brushes 28 are connected-in advance of the power wheel by means of a cross bar 29 having slots 30 for the passage of fastening members such as bolts` 31, associated with the brush members which latter may thus be moved toward or from eaclnother as far as may be desired.

The side members 1 of the frame support near their front ends a rock `shaft 32 having an upwardly extending arm 33 and a forwardly extending arm 34 which latter v is connected by a link 35 with a lug 36 on` the cross bar 29. The arm 33 is connected with the front cross bar 3.9 of the frame by means 'of a spring 38 the tension of which is eX- erted to so operate the rock shaft as to move the forwardly extending arm 34 in a downward direction, thereby exerting downward pressure upon the cross bar 29 and upon the front ends of the ibrush members which are connected therewith. An operating rod 39 which is connected with the arm 33 extends rearwardly and is provided with notches 40 adapted to engagea rung 41 connecting the handles 42rwhich are secured upon and extend rearwardly from the sides of the Vcasing 10 and which lmay be conveniently grasped by the operator who walks behind the machine and who by manipulating the rod 39 to placethe notches 40 in engagement with the rung 41, may place the spring 38 under tension and so oscillate the rock shaft as to elevate the front ends of the arm 34, thereby lifting the cross-bar 29, and the front ends of the' brushes connected therewith from the ground.

In the operation of this machine draft may be applied to the frame by means of a hook or clevis 44 at the frontl end of the frame. As the machine is drawn forwardly between the rows of plants it is supported partly on the power wheel 4 and partly on the ground engaging roller 18. Motion is transmitted from the axle of the machine by the chain or link belt 6 to the shaft 8 carrying the roller 13 over which the endless carrier having the brush members 15 is guided. The ground engaging brush members 28 which diverge forwardly will gather the fallen forms and squares and other rubgravitate through the screen bottom 17 of the drawer 16. The contents of the latter may be emptied when desired and disposed of by burning or in any other suitable manner to destroy the eggs of the weevil.

That portion of the endless carrier 14 which extends above the casing 1() is preferably protected by a shield 46 whereby the carrier. will be 'protected from the leaves and branches of the rows of plants between which the machine is operated.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1; In a machine of the character described, a frame having a cross bar, standards having screw threaded Shanks extending through the cross bar and connected therewith for .vertical adjustment and for rotation about their axes, ground engaging brushes hingedly connected with the lower ends of the'standards and diverging in a forward direction, a rock shaft carried by the frame and having an upwardly and a forwardly extending arm, a slotted cross bar with which the Iront ends ofthe brushes are adjustably connected, a link connecting said cross bar with the forwardly extending arm l of the rock shaft, a spring actuating an arm of the rock; shaft to oscillate the latter and. I to; press' the front ends of the brushes downpower wheel in said axle,a casing carried by the frame and having a ground engaging rolier. and an upwardly andjrearwardly inclined vbottoni member, an endless carrier having brush members engaging the bottomv member, a drawer supported removably in the casing in rear of the bottom member and having a oraminous bottom, means for 'transmitting motion from the power wheel to the endless carrier, and agathering device including ground engagin brushes extending. and diverging fowar 1y from the casing, one at either side of the power wheel, means 'for supporting they rear ends of the ground engaging brushes for vertical ad- ]ustment, a cross piece with which the front endsof the brushes are'connected for lateral adjustment, and means whereby said cross piece with the front ends of the brushes is supported for vertical adjustment vincluding a spring whereby the front ends of the brushes are normally forced in a ground engaging direction.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN R. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

W. O. MAssnNGALE, W. J. SANFoBn. 

